Valve connector

ABSTRACT

A valve connector for connecting to inflation valves of vehicle tires. The valve connector is configured to be operable with common valve types and with existing pressure sources. The valve connector is configured to automatically adjust to the valve being used.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 11/840,793, which is acontinuation of Ser. No. 10/635,433, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,066, whichis a divisional of Ser. No. 09/939,170, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,729,which is a divisional of Ser. No. 08/837,505, now U.S. Pat. No.6,314,985, which is a continuation-in-part of International ApplicationPCT/DK96/00055. Each of these applications is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention concerns a valve connector for inflation through varyingvalves of vehicle tyres according to the introduction to claim 1.

For reasons of clarity, some of the standards used will be cited. In theISO standard No 10475:1992(E), thread for tyre inflation valves ofvehicles is described. The most used threads are designated 5V2 (DIN: Vg5, 2), which has a nominal diameter of 5.2 mm and a pitch of 1.058 mm,and 8V1 (DIN: Vg 8), which has a nominal diameter of 7.7 mm and a pitchof 0.794 mm respectively. These thread types are used in the valve typesof Dunlop-Woods, Sclaverand or Schrader. The last mentioned valve typeis frequently used on common cars, where a spring-loaded pin head in thevalve plug must be kept down in preparation of the passage of air, whilepumping a tyre. For this purpose, the valve connector must be equippedwith suitable means, which can serve this aim. Moreover, suitable means,e.g. a contra valve or the like, must be used to ensure that loss of airis avoided when activating the valve plug pin. The Sclaverand valvehas—just like the Dunlop-Woods valve—the distinctive character that itsplug pin is solely opened by air pressure. The necessary air pressurefor opening a Sclaverand valve is up to 16 bar, and the valve is mostlyused in connection with high-pressure tyres with a pressure of up to 16bar. The opening pressure for the Dunlop-Woods valve is approximately 4bar, which ensures that it is easier to open.

2. Description of the Related Art

Well-known valve connectors (e.g. GB-B-977,139) can only be connected tothe Dunlop-Woods valve type and/or the Sclaverand valve type, or theSchrader valve type.

A well-known connector for a Schrader valve is of the type, where arubber cylinder is tightly squeezed against the stem by means of alever, which axially compresses the rubber cylinder. Consequently, therubber cylinder is squeezed radially against the stem. With reference todifferent valve diameters, it is necessary, that auxiliary equipment(nut 6) is screwed onto or out of the valve thread to reduce or increasethe internal diameter in advance to ensure the establishment of aconnection from the valve connector to other valve diameters. Looseparts can disappear and can be loosened when used, if the pump hose isturned, so that the connection is no longer airtight. The disadvantageof this connector type is that the user has to apply much strength whenusing the lever. It is necessary to use both hands to stabilize the(dis)connection.

GB patent application No 39808/77 shows an universal valve connectorwhich can be screwed on all valve types. The thread (4) corresponding to8V1 also keeps the bushing (26) in position. The bushing (26) has aninternal thread (30) corresponding to 5V2 for Sclaverand or Dunlop-Woodsvalves. The plug pin of the Schrader valve is opened mechanically bymeans of a stationary pin indicated with (12). The disadvantage of thisconnector type is that the bushing (26) With a 5V2 thread has to beremoved before connecting to a Schrader valve, and also that the bushing(26) must be mounted again before connecting to a Dunlop-Woods orSclaverand valve. Also in this case loose parts are used. They candisappear and loosen when used, if the pump hose is turned, resulting inan untight connection.

From DE-B 38 19 771, a universal connector on a handpump with twocoupling holes is known: one for Dunlop-Woods and Sclaverand valves andone for Schrader valves of which the plug pin is opened mechanically.The disadvantage of this way of coupling is firstly, that it cannot befastened to a valve and secondly, that it can only be used in a certainposition, where the coupling hole is turned almost vertically upwards,and finally that the user has to find out which of the two holes to usefor the valve in question.

Another well-known universal valve type, which, apparently, does notexist in the patent literature, is of the same type as the one of theabove mentioned GB patent application No 39808/77. This rubber cylinderconsists of two adjacent parts of different diameter and length, fittingon 5V2 and 8V1 threads, respectively. Axially, proximally staggered onthe centre line of the holes it is possible to mount a means, which canopen the plug pin of a Schrader valve. The disadvantage of this couplingis partly that both hands must be used to stabilize the (dis-)connectionof Dunlop-Woods or Sclaverand valves and partly that the rubber cylindermust be taken out of the housing and turned upside down to makeconnection to valves with different thread types possible, so that thecoupling place for connecting the valve is always positioned closest tothe opening of the coupling hole. Also, the pin which mechanically opensthe Schrader valve has to be turned in the above-mentioned operation.This is a problem for the ordinary user, as both means must bepositioned correctly in relation to each other in order to be able toconnect the coupling to a valve: combinatorily, there are fourpossibilities to select from, which can only be done correctly if a usermanual is available. Apart from that, the above-mentioned means can belost, loosened or disappear in the said operation.

From WO-A-92/22448 it is known to provide a sealing means, which isplaced in a single level, and from GB-B-977.139 a valve connectoroperated by a lever cam is known. Common to both prior art references isthat they can only be used together with a Schrader valve, and thatneither Sclaverand type nor Dunlop-Woods type valves can be served bythis type of connector, as the sealing means only show one diameterfitting e.g. the Schrader valve.

THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Inflating a tyre is a problem to many people, especially if the tyreshave different valve types, and only one pump has to be used. This isthe case in most house-holds. The aim of the invention is to provide avalve connector which fits on all current valve types, which is easy tooperate, is economical, and which has the possibility of automaticallyadjusts itself to the valve in question. Also, it should be possible touse the connector with existing pumps.

According to the invention this task is solved by means of theprovisions in the characterizing part of claim 1.

By a connector for inflation valves of vehicle tyres, where theconnector consists of a housing connected to a pressure source,preferably a hand or foot pump, and with a coupling hole with a diametercorresponding to the diameter of the valve to which it is connected,where the coupling hole is equipped with a securing means for securingon the valve and a sealing means against valves of different sizes, theinvention is provided by the fact that the sealing means is mountedcoaxially in the connector housing and is established on at least twoparallel separate levels having the centre line of the connectorhousing, which is coaxial to the centre line of the valve when used, asits normal, where the internal diameter of the sealing meansapproximately corresponds to the external diameter of the present valvedimensions, on which the connector is mounted when used, that thesealing means which is nearest to the opening of the coupling hole inthe connector housing has the biggest diameter, while the sealing meanswhich is farthest from the opening of the coupling hole in the connectorhousing has the smallest diameter, and diameters between the extremesare lying in corresponding separate distances between these extremes.The coupling place on a valve, which is to be connected, is positionedagainst a sealing surface on the sealing means in the coupling hole ofthe concerned valve. The connector has only one coupling hole. The useof it is therefore simple, even without a user manual, and loose nipplesare superfluous. Therefore, a connection can always be established inonly one operation.

In an appropriate embodiment of the invention, it is suggested that thesecuring means is a rotational bushing mounted on the housing, which isequipped with a thread in the coupling hole, which fits on therespective valves, and which is sealed with the sealing means againstthe connector housing, which is farthest from the coupling hole in theconnector housing. The connector can be positioned here on the valvewith an airtight connection, which does not become untight, when theconnected hose is turned. In addition, mounting is quickly accomplishedwithout applying significant strength. (Dis)-Connecting of the couplingcan be done using only one hand.

To reduce the wear of the gasket seal surface in the connector housingand also to reduce the force by means of which the rotational bushinghas to be turned, and furthermore to ensure a reliable sealing againstvalves with 5V2 thread, a still more appropriate embodiment suggeststhat the innermost thread is provided by a bushing with a 5V2 thread,where the bushing is embedded and—slightly—axially sliding in a tapermilling in the rotational coupling bushing and is coupledrotational-free to the coupling bushing by means of a set of ribs, whichare distributed around the bushing circumference, and which are gearedinto corresponding grooves in the coupling bushing, and that the sealingmeans rests on a stepped milling. This ensures that frictional forces donot occur between the gasket seal and the coupling bushing during themain part of its fastening and unscrewing, whereas the coupling bushingis pulling the connector housing and its gasket seal against the valvewhen tightening. Tightening occurs against the core of the valve threadand is stabilized as a result of the reduced radius of the inner part ofthe gasket seal.

In order to be able to use the valve connector on a Sclaverand typevalve, which is not standardized, i.e. some of the threads are removedthereby forming two parallel secants on each side of the Sclaverand typevalve, a further development of the inner bushing is suggested, wherebythe inner bushing is running in an undercut grove in the valve housing.Such Sclaverand type valve can not tighten against the sealing means,and the pressurized air will try to escape through the secant openings.By running in the undercut grove the bushing will tighten against thiswhen mounting the valve connector on the valve.

In connection with the (dis)connection with only one hand, almost thesame is valid, if the connector is provided by means of temporarythread, i.e. created by squeezing e.g. a rubber cylinder against theexisting valve thread of which the securing means and sealing means in awell-known way consist of the bushing of a deformable materialpositioned in the housing, preferably a rubber type material shaped likea “H”, and that a piston is mounted proximally to the valve and therubber bushing which has two extremes to establish an axial compressionand release of the rubber bushing, and also a lever for activating thepiston, where the axis of the lever is placed perpendicularly to thecentre line and excentrical with this, and that the lever for activatingthe piston is turned from a position forming an angle with the centreline to a position almost perpendicular to the centre line, where alocking means of the lever is working together with a correspondinglocking means of the housing, whereby the locking means of the lever, asan example, is provided in the construction of the lever. In a specialadvantageous embodiment a reaction arm is applied to absorb the reactionforces originating from the movement of the lever arm between the twopositions. This measure ensures a reliable securing and a simpleoperation.

With this embodiment of the connector, it is possible to mount same,using just one hand, as the lever is taken down to its locking positionby just a simple squeezing of the lever and the reaction arm parallel tothe hose connection on the connector housing. By this action the pistonis pressed against the rubber bushing, which is tightly squeezedradially against the concerned valve.

In an improved embodiment of the valve connector, the rubber bushing isprovided with at the least one external V-shaped incision in thecircumference perpendicular to the center axis close to those partssqueezing against the threads of the valve. Through such incisions therubber bushing is predetermined to exert the largest radial forceagainst the threads exactly where the incisions are, and the user of thevalve connector will experience a soft working lever arm. In order tosupport this purpose further and securing the valve connector on thevalve even under high pressures it is suggested, that a preferablytorroidal shaped ring is arranged in the incisions, thereby stressingthe exerted radial forces.

The embodiment with the lever arm is designated: a torque-free(dis)connection, as the valve may not carry any torque by the(dis)-connection. Connection to almost all valves is possible, as suchconnector type might be able to open a plug pin in such Schrader valve,which is opening at an air pressure of approximately 5-6 bar. The airpressure in the pump hose is of the same magnitude as when ahigh-pressure tyre provided with a Sclaverand valve is inflated. This isoptimally achieved by using a high-pressure hand or foot-operatedbicycle pump. There are plug pin types which cannot be opened by meansof air pressure of an ordinary bicycle pump (e.g. 10 bar max.).Connecting can be done easily and comfortably in two ways. Either thelast mentioned plug type is being replaced with the first mentioned oneand the embodiments of the invention without a pin are being used as aconnector, or the plug can—according to an appropriate embodiment of theinvention—be opened by a pin placed in continuation of and coaxially tothe centre line of the connector housing, which is transported by axialshifting from a position farthest from the valve (FIG. 4A) to activatethe central pin head of the plug (FIG. 4B). By this embodiment, thenecessary pumping force is considerably lower, when a Schrader valve isto be inflated, because no air pressure is used for opening the valve.Inflation can therefore be done with an ordinary bicycle pump.

As a means for automatic sliding the activating pin in the housing froma passive to an active position, the activating pin is constructed as apiston equipped with a suitable securing means and a piston rod, whichcan slide in the cylinder shaped housing, and which, without anyphysical load, is held in a sealing longitudinal position against thecylinder wall, so that the sliding of the piston after the connection ofthe valve connector occurs by means of the compressed air which istransported from the pressure source, and so that the piston in theposition farthest from the wheel valve seals less than 100% against thecylinder wall.

With a valve connector according to claim 1 equipped with such automaticsliding activating pin it is possible to mount the valve connectorequipped with a valve to a compressor hose, which can be available tothe public known, e.g. from bicycle shops, etc. There, it is notnecessary to fasten the valve connector to the valve, as the user exertsthe pressure necessary to secure an airtight connection.

With such valve connector, inflating tyres without the user having toidentify the valve type and functioning has become possible. Theconvenience of the operation has also increased significantly, and itwill now be easier for the user to inflate the tyre to the correctpressure, which in general eases the driving and reduces tyre abrasion.At the same time, a contra valve function is added to the Schradervalves in that the valve only opens the core of the Schrader valve whensufficient air pressure is fed from the pressure source and air thuscannot escape from the tyre during inflation.

In an appropriate embodiment of the valve connector according to theinvention, it is suggested that the piston is constructed with acentral, axially sliding valve, which is elastically pressed to aclosing position against the piston top. This provides a well-definedopening zone, which is not influenced by abrasion in the piston guide,and the increasing opening of the core secures the passage of compressedair from the pressure source as well.

As an example, the central, axially sliding valve on the piston can in asuitable way be activated by the fact that the piston valve is leveredwith a valve lever, which reaches eccentrically through the piston, andby the fact that a spring between the piston and its valve keeps thevalve closed when the piston does not influence the core in the wheelvalve.

Alternatively, the piston valve can be levered with a core pin whichconcentrically reaches axially through the piston, where a spring leadsit to a position distally from the piston. It has thus become possibleto provide the piston with a reliable function within the limitsestablished by the ISO standard, as the piston with the core pinautomatically adjusts its length to the limits of the valve in question.

The latter embodiments ensure a safe functioning of the valve lever,because it is enclosed and only influenced by axially directed forces.Also, the bridge on the Schrader valve can be used for activating thepiston valve. Further, the reaction forces from the piston is led to theair and not to the mechanical constructions.

The Schrader valve has the biggest major diameter of the external thread(thread type ISO 4570/3 8V1, ISO 10475:1992-12V1 resp.) and the couplingplace is closest to the opening of the coupling hole. The Dunlop-Woodsplugs and the Sclaverand valves have the same thread type, where themajor diameter of the external thread (thread type ISO 4570/2 5V2) issmaller than the minor diameter of internal thread 8V 1. Therefore, itis possible that the Dunlop-Woods plug type and the Sclaverand valvetype can pass both the coupling place of 8V1 threads and 12V1 threads.Consequently, the coupling place of the connecting of 5V2 thread isfarthest from the opening of the coupling hole. The 5V2 thread of theDunlop-Woods plug (both the type which is DIN nonmed and the type whichin daily language is called the ‘ball valve’), is sufficiently stickingout over the nut 8V1 which is keeping the plug to the stem and of whichthe major diameter is less than the minor diameter of the internalthread for the 12V1 thread in the bushing. There is, therefore, enoughspace for at least two thread types each with a corresponding seal ring.The same applies for the squeezing connections, according to theinvention, where the connector is squeezed to form a temporary thread.The said 8V1 nut cannot pass the coupling place of the Schrader valve.That is due to the fact that the major diameter of the said nut isbigger than the diameter of the biggest hole in the rubber cylinder (amajor diameter of external thread 8V1). The beginning of the couplingplace of the 5V2 thread is at distance a from the opening of thecoupling hole. As the load on the connection is low, it is not necessaryto use the entire length of the internal thread, as generally acceptedrules say 0.8× of the size of the coupled external thread. This rule isbased on mechanical constructions which are high-loaded and where thethread is fastened by a wrench. It is therefore possible that thecoupling place of the 5V2 thread is behind the coupling place of the 8V1 thread.

The invention can exist in a number of embodiments which will appearfrom the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in details below by means of drawings. Thedrawing shows in:

FIG. 1 the universal connector in the first embodiment connected to thehose of a (high-pressure) foot pump, where the connector is screwed onthe valve and a Schrader valve type can be opened by air pressure;

FIG. 2A the connector according to FIG. 1 in a second embodiment wherethe bushing with a 5V2 thread and a gasket sealing for Schrader canslide parallel to the centre line;

FIG. 2B a rendering of details of the connector according to FIG. 2A,(section A-A);

FIG. 3 the connector according to FIG. 2 in a third embodiment designedto be used on a Sclaverand valve, which is not according to theISO-standard;

FIGS. 4A,B universal connector according to FIG. 1 in a fourthembodiment where the coupling is screwed on the valve, and a Schradervalve can be opened mechanically by means of a pin, where the pin feedmechanism is constructed with a thread and where the pin is shown in thetop and bottom position, respectively;

FIG. 5A,B universal connector according to FIGS. 4A, 4B in a fifthembodiment, where the pin feed mechanism is constructed with a bigthread pitch, and where the pin is shown in the top and bottom position,respectively;

FIG. 6 a rendering of details of the connector according to FIG. 5A(section X-X) and FIG. 5B, (section Y-Y);

FIG. 7 feed cylinder of the embodiment according to FIGS. 5A, 5B,(section Z-Z);

FIG. 8 a valve connector according to FIG. 1 in a sixth embodiment,where the coupling is screwed on the valve, and a Schrader valve can beopened automatically by means of a pin being a piston, where the pistonis shown in its distal position, where pressurized air can pass throughthe piston being also a control valve;

FIG. 9 a valve connector according to FIG. 8 in a seventh embodiment,where the piston is equipped with a valve which is levered by aneccentric valve lever;

FIG. 10 another connector in an eighth embodiment, where the piston isequipped with a valve which is levered by a concentric valve lever; thepiston is shown in a position on the way to the core of a Schradervalve, where the valve on top of the piston is closed;

FIG. 11 universal connector in a ninth embodiment connected to a hose ofa (high-pressure) foot pump, where the connector is squeezed on thevalve and a Schrader valve can be opened by means of air pressure;

FIGS. 12A,B universal connector in a tenth embodiment, which is afurther development of the embodiment of FIG. 5, where the coupling isconnected to a hose of a foot pump, and where the coupling is squeezedon the valve, and a Schrader valve can be opened mechanically by meansof a movable pin, which is in the top and bottom position, respectively;

FIG. 12C section A-A according to FIG. 12A resp. section B-B accordingto FIG. 12B —non-essential details are not shown;

FIG. 13 universal connector in a special embodiment made for the purposeof being used in vehicle wheels with a narrow opening for the connector,where the connector is squeezed on the valve, and a Schrader valve isopened by means of the automatically movable pin;

FIG. 14A universal connector in a twelfth embodiment, where the couplingis squeezed on the valve using a rubber bushing with incisions and atorroid ring in each incision, and where a Schrader valve can be openedby means of the automatically movable pin, which is formed as a pistonand is shown in the bottom position;

FIG. 15 universal connector in a thirteenth embodiment, where thecoupling is squeezed on the valve using a rubber bushing with incisionsand a torrid ring in each incision, where the coupling is squeezed onthe valve, and a Schrader valve is opened by means of the automaticallymovable pin, which is formed as a piston with a control valve and isshown in the bottom position;

FIG. 16 the universal connector of FIG. 8, in a fourteenth embodiment,where the “clip-on” type securing means are used, where the valveconnector is secured to the valve by means of a beak matching thethreads of the valve, thereby establishing temporary threads;

FIG. 17 the connector of FIG. 16, in a fifteenth embodiment, where theactivation pin can be shorter.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 the pump hose 1 is mounted on the housing 3 by means of thering clamp 2. The housing 3 is bent in an angle of e.g. 30°-60° inrelation to the centre line 4 of coupling hole 5. The bushing 6 is inthe shown embodiment equipped with two ISO thread types: 5V2 thread 7starting farthest from the opening 8 of the coupling hole 5 and 8V1thread 9 starting at the above-mentioned opening. At (dis-)connection,the bushing 6 is turned around and is kept in the grooves 11 of thehousing 3 by means of grip-hooks 10. The gasket seals 12 and 13 aretightening against the thread types 5V2 and 8V1. The gasket seal 12 isalso tightening the crossing 14 between the housing 3 and the bushing 6when the connector is used on a Schrader valve. The underside of thebushing 6 is equipped with a taper 15.

FIG. 2A shows a second embodiment. The housing 190 is equipped with acoupling bushing 191, which freely and without friction can turn aroundthe housing 190 because of the small space b between the top gasket seal192 and the bushing 193 together with the connector bushing 191. Thegasket seal 194 for the Schrader valve is placed freely in the connectorbushing 191, on the thread 8V1 195. The bushing 193 with the 5V2 threadis unattached but axially moveable in a taper milling 202 in connectorbushing 191. Both can be shifted parallel with the centre line of thevalve. The sealing means 200 is embedded in a stepped milling 201 in thehousing 190 with an external part 192, which is also tightening thecrossing between the housing 190 and the connector bushing 191. Thebushing 193 can turn together with the connector bushing 191 as it isequipped with at least two ribs 196 which fit into corresponding grooves197 (FIG. 2B) in the connector bushing 191. When a Dunlop-Woods orSclaverand valve is connected, the sealing means 200 is tightening onthe minor diameter of the valve thread. The valve is stopped at the edge198, so that the nut of the Dunlop-Woods valve is not fastening itselfon the underside 199 of the 8V1 thread. At the top, the sealing means200 has a radially stepped, reduced diameter.

FIG. 3 presents another connector designed to be used on a Sclaverandvalve, Which is not according to the ISO-standard. In such valve some ofthe threads are removed thereby forming two parallel secants on eachside of the Sclaverand type valve. Such Sclaverand type valve can nottighten against the sealing means 330 of the above mentioned valveconnectors, as the pressurized air will try to escape through the secantopenings. The bushing 340 is fastened to the housing 341 by means ofdetachable locking means 339, reaching into an external grove on thehousing 341 perpendicular to the center axis. The internal sealing means330 and the external sealing means 332 are arranged between the couplingbushing 331 and the housing 341 resp. the bushing 340. The couplingbushing 331 tightens against the undercut grove in the housing 341assisted by another sealing means 333 fitting into the undercut grove.When mounting the valve connector on the valve, the coupling bushing isrunning in the undercut grove in the valve housing, and if Sclaverandtype valve can not tighten against the sealing means 330, the air willmove into the space between the coupling bushing 331 and the othersealing means 333.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the connector according to FIG. 1, where the pin161 is built-in in the knob 162, which is kept in a groove 160 of thehousing 164 by means of grip-hooks 163. The knob 162 is equipped withinternal thread 165 with a large pitch. When the knob 162 is turnedaround, the pin 161 is shifted axially on the centre line 4 of theopening 8 of the coupling hole 5, as the pin 161 is equipped with fins166 running in slits 167 of this hole 5. Sealing is done with one gasketseal 168. The knob 162 is made of e.g. elastic material. The pin 161 isshown in FIG. 4A in the top position 18 and in FIG. 4B in the bottomposition 32.

In FIG. 5A-7 the pump hose 1 is connected to the housing 35 by means ofthe ring clamp 2. The angle α between the centre line 36 of the ringclamp 2 and the centre line 4 of the opening 8 of the coupling hole 5 ise.g. 30°-60°. The bushing 6 with internal thread and gasket seals isidentical to that of FIG. 1. The pin 40 can move along the centre line 4of the coupling hole 5 from position 18 to position 32, when the knob 43is turned from position 44 (FIG. 5A) to position 45 (FIG. 5B) and viceversa. On the underside, the knob 43 is equipped with radially internal,rotating jut 46 surrounding a corresponding bulb 47, and it is lockedpivotally in position 44 and 45 when the knob 43 catches the bulb 47:see section X-X (FIG. 6). The cylinder 48 is directly connected to theknob 43. In the cylinder 48 there are two slits 49, 50 of which one 49is open on the opposite side of the knob 43. The two round protrusions51, 52 of the pin 40 are moving diametrically opposite each other in theslits 49, 50. At both ends, the slits 49, 50 with the centre lines 53,54, which are parallel to the centre line 4, have two slits 55, 56, 57,58, which are placed diametrically opposite each other, where the centrelines 59, 60, 61, 62 lie perpendicularly to the centre lines 53, 54. Theslits 55, 56, 57, 58 end in a half circle, of which the centre 63, 64,65, 66 lies slightly further from the closest side of the slits 49, 50than the radius of the protrusions 51, 52. Moreover, the protrusions 51,52 are moving in the internal thread 67 from the coupling hole 5. Thethread pitch 67 is so large that the turning knob 43 only has to turnapprox. 240° from position 44 to 45 or reversed. When the knob 43 isturned, the slits 49, 50, 55, 56, 57, 58 push the protrusions 51, 52 inthe thread 67. The turning knob 43 is fastened on the housing 35 bymeans of grips 68, which are moving behind an internal jut 69 in theknob. The above-mentioned construction becomes air-tight by means of agasket seal 70 at the top of the housing 35. On the sides of the housing35 at the positions 44 and 45 there are symbols 71, 72, 73 of the valvetypes which can be connected.

In FIG. 8 a section of a valve connector according to the invention isshown in a partial longitudinal section, where the piston 304 is shownin its distal position, in which it presses the core of a Schrader valveto be completely open. In this way, air from the pressure source canpass through the cylinder 303 and e.g. through an central blind drilling309 positioned axially in the piston 304 and in the piston rod 312,which ends in the piston rod 312 at a branched, radially directeddrilling 310, which ends on the other side of a piston control 308sealed with e.g. an O-ring 311. This arrangement of the drillingsensures a maximum pressure on the piston for the opening of the core ofthe Schrader valve, after which an opening for air pressure is providedwhen the core of the Schrader valve is almost entirely open. The piston304 itself is sealed with another O-ring 305 against the cylinder wall303, which at an appropriate distance corresponding to at least thestroke of a core of a Schrader valve above the distal piston position isequipped with means 307 for reduction of the sealing. This arrangementis applied in order to make it possible for the air to pass the piston304 when it is proximally displaced at the application of the valveconnector on other valves than Schrader type valves. In this position,the piston rod 312 is also displaced so much from the distal positionthat the blind drilling 310 is positioned above the sealed part of thecylinder wall 303. The distal part of the piston rod 312 is constantlyguided in the piston control 308, and in order to lead air to the valvein question, the piston rod 312 is here equipped with longitudinal airducts 306, which allow the air to pass the piston rod 312 past thesealed piston control 308 with the O-ring 311.

FIG. 9 show another embodiment of the valve connector according to thisinvention in a partial longitudinal section, where the piston 304 isequipped with a valve 317 which is levered by an eccentric valve lever315. Here the piston valve 317 is placed on top of the piston 304, whereit has a central core pin 318 on the lower side, which at the passage tothe valve has partly a radially directed blind drilling 313 and partlyan O-ring 314, which provides sealing between the valve 317 and thepiston 304. The radially directed blind drilling 313 ends in a central,axially directed blind drilling 309′, which goes through the core pin318 from the blind drilling 313 away from the valve 317. At the distalend of the core pin 318 an extension spring 316 is secured at the distalend of the valve rod 312 and pull to close the valve 317, when this isnot subjected to other forces. When the piston 304 is moving in thecylinder 303, piston 304 and valve 317 are concomitant. The valve 317can be opened when the piston comes closer to its distal position, wherea valve lever 315 is stopped by a terminal surface in the cylinder 303.This stops the concomitant movement of piston 304 and valve 317, andthen first the sealing 314 and then shortly afterwards the blinddrilling 313 are levered above the piston 304. This makes it possiblefor the compressed air above the piston 304 to escape through the blinddrillings 313 and 309′. The compressed air is then led to the core ofthe Schrader valve which is by now completely open.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the valve connector according tothis invention in a partial longitudinal section, where the piston 304is equipped with a valve 317, which is levered by a concentric valvelever, which here makes up the core pin. The very valve 317 on thepiston 304 is constructed as in FIG. 9, and thus not described anyfurther. The piston 304 is shown in a position on its way to the core ofa Schrader valve, where the valve 317 on top of the piston 304 isclosed. The valve is opened when the core pin 318 depresses the core ofthe Schrader valve, whereby this is opened concurrently with the openingof the valve 317 itself. Through this, the spring 316′ is squeezedtogether to such an extent that the core pin 318 always can adjustitself to different limits of the core of the Schrader valve.

In FIG. 11 the pump hose 1 is connected to the piston 76, which moves inthe housing 110, by means of clamp ring 2. An elastic body 78 withcoupling surfaces 79 (for the Dunlop-Woods and the Sclaverand valve) and80 (for the Schrader valve) is compressed by the movable piston 76 bymeans of a lever 102, which is pressed down from the top position 82 tothe position 83, where it is parallel with the centre line 36 of thering clamp 2. The lever 102 turns around the axis 85 which is mounted inthe housing 110 and to which the axis centre 107 is perpendicular andwhich intersects the centre line 4 of the opening 8 of the coupling hole5. The coupling surface 79 lies at a distance ‘a’ from the opening 8 ofthe coupling hole 5, while the coupling surface 80 is adjacent to this.The area on the elastic means 78 bears against the piston 76. The pistonair supply hole 75 has a diameter which is slightly smaller than themajor diameter of the external thread 5V2, so that the Sclaverand valvehas a natural stop at its connection. Thus the coupling place for the5V2 thread is around the 5V2 thread.

When disconnecting, the lever 102 is released. It now automaticallyturns back to the rest position 82, because the elastic body 78 returnsto the unstressed condition. This is possible because the distance ofthe surface 118 from the axis centre 107 is larger than the distance ofthe surface 120 of the lever 102 at the top 119 of piston 76. The turnof the lever 102 stops when the plane surface 120 of the lever 102 stopsagainst the flat top 119 of the piston. The top of the lever 102 is inrest position 82 under an angle Ψ of approx. 45° with the centre line 36of the ring clamp 2. At the opening 8 of the coupling hole 5, thehousing 110 is equipped with a cone 15 which facilitates the mounting ofthe universal connector.

FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C show the embodiment which is a combination of theconnector of FIG. 11 and the construction of the pin of FIG. 5A and FIG.5B. In FIG. 12A, the pin 142 is shown in its top 18 position and in FIG.12B in its bottom 32 position. The construction of pin 142 and the wayit works is the same as in FIG. 5, except that it is mounted on piston138 by means of an edge 135 on the lower end of the cylinder 136. Theconstruction of the pin becomes air-tight by means of a gasket seal 139between the piston 138 and the cylinder 136. The turning knob 140 isequipped with a line 141 indicating the knob 140 position. The valvesymbols 71, 72 correspond to the position 18 of the pin 142 and thesymbol 73 corresponds to the position 32 of the pin 142 resp. Theturning knob 140 is fixed at the valve symbols 71, 72, 73 when thepiston fits in a recess 145 (FIG. 12C) in the knob 140 with a bulb 144:see section A-A in FIG. 12A and section B-B in FIG. 12B, resp. Here too,the opening 8 of the coupling hole 5 has the centre line 4.

FIG. 13 shows an universal connector in a special embodiment made forthe purpose of being used in vehicle wheels with a narrow opening forthe connector, where the connector is squeezed on the valve, and aSchrader valve is opened by means of the automatically moveable pin. Inorder to ease the use, the lever arm 319 has a special shape, and in thereaction arm 320 there is made a grove 321 for the pressure hose.

FIG. 14 shows an universal connector in an embodiment, where thecoupling is squeezed on the valve using a rubber bushing 366 withincisions 361 and a torroid ring 362 in each incision, and where aSchrader valve can be opened by means of the automatically movable pin,which is formed as a piston and is shown in the bottom position. Inorder to avoid transfer of momentum forces to the vehicle valve, thesurface 367 can be slightly cone shaped. The incisions 361 weaken therubber bushing 366 at the places shown, which causes the rubber bushingto squeeze the threads on the valve precisely where it is mostconvenient. When, further, torroid rings are arranged in the incisions,the force exerted on the valve threads are increased. Thereby, it ispossible to lead air under high pressure (>10 bar) to the valve.

FIG. 15 shows an universal connector in an embodiment like the one inFIG. 14, but where the automatically movable pin is self adjusting toproduction tolerances of the Schrader valves.

FIG. 16 shows still another embodiment to be used in connection with thewell known “clip-on”-type securing means. The reference numbers of FIG.8 shall, where the items are not different, be valid for the items ofFIG. 16. The valve connector is here secured to a valve by means of theknown “beak” matching the threads of the valve, thereby establishing atemporary threads. When the valve connector is connected, the activationpin will function as explained in connection with FIG. 8. If a valvewith a 5V2 thread is to be connected, it is important, that the orifice40 of the inner opening 404 of the sealing means 405 has a shape of atruncated cone in order to guide the threads of the valve. When mounted,the 5V2-valve is sealed by the sealing surface 401 and e.g. the 8V1 issealed by the sealing surface 402. This embodiment could also with awasher-type sealing means be used for a Schrader valve only.

In this case only the cylindrical space 502 just above the activationpin is necessary and the activation pin can be shorter, as the pistoncontrol 503 is positioned adjacent to the sealing means 501, as shown inFIG. 17.

The various embodiments described above are provided by way ofillustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention.Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications,changes, and combinations of elements which may be made to the presentinvention without strictly following the exemplary embodiments andapplications illustrated and described herein, and without departingfrom the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Advantageous combinations of the features can be the following ones:

A valve connector for inflation valves of vehicle tyres where theconnector consists of a housing (3, 16, 19, 35, 77, 110, 134, 151, 164,190) which partly is connected to a pressure source, preferably a handor foot pump, and which partly has a coupling hole (5) with a diametercorresponding to the diameter of the valve which is to be connected,where the coupling hole is equipped with a securing means to connect thevalve and a sealing means for valves of varying sizes, wherein thesealing means (12, 13, 80, 192, 194) is positioned coaxially in thehousing (3, 16, 19, 35, 77, 110, 134, 151, 164, 190) and is establishedon at least two parallel discrete levels having the housing (3, 16, 19,35, 77, 110, 134, 151, 164, 190) centre line coaxial to the valve centreline (4) as its normal, where the sealing means minor diameterapproximately correspond to the major diameter of the current valve sizeto which the coupling is connected when used that the sealing means (13,80, 194) which is closest to the opening (8) of the coupling hole (5) inthe housing (3, 16, 19, 35, 77, 110, 134, 151, 164, 190) has the largestminor diameter, whereas the sealing means (12, 79, 192, 200), farthestfrom the opening (8) of the coupling hole (5) in the housing (3, 16, 19,35, 77, 110, 134, 151, 164, 190) has the smallest minor diameter, andthe diameters between the extremes are in corresponding discretedistances between these extremes.

The securing means can be a rotatable bushing (6) placed on the housingand equipped with threads matching the various valves in the couplinghole (5) and sealed towards the housing (3, 16) with a sealing means(12) which is farthest from the housing (3, 16) coupling hole.

The inner thread can be provided by a bushing (193) with a 5V2 threadwhere the bushing (193) is embedded slightly axially sliding in a tapermilling (202) in the rotational coupling bushing (191) and is coupledrotational-free to the coupling bushing (191) by means of a set of ribs(196), which are distributed around the bushing circumference (193) andwhich are geared into corresponding grooves (197) in the couplingbushing (191), and that the sealing means (200) on a stepped milling(201).

The inner bushing (331) can run in an undercut grove in the valvehousing (341).

In continuation of and coaxially to the housing (19) centre line (4),there can be an activating pin (161) which is fed to activate a centralvalve pin head in the plug (FIG. 4B) via an axial shifting from aposition farthest from the valve (FIG. 4A).

A control knob (162) integrated in the activating pin can be used tocontrol the activating pin (161), and the control knob (162) isrotatably attached to the housing (164) concentric with the activatingpin (161) and centrally incorporating this with feeding mechanisms whichcooperate with corresponding feeding mechanisms on the activating pin(161) which is rotation-free, but slidingly attached to the housing(164) to ensure the rotation-free, axial shifting of this from aninactive position (FIG. 4A) to an activating position (FIG. 4B).

The control knob (43) can be rotatably attached to the housing (35)concentrically with the activating pin (40) and is centrallyincorporating this and is having a cylinder (48), which at suitablefeedings reaches out between the housing (35) and the activating pin(40), which is moveably attached to the control knob (43), which canshift in the cylinder (48) and uses feeding mechanisms (51, 52) to reachout between cylinder (48) slits (49, 50) and corresponding feedingmechanisms (67) in the housing (35) to axially shift the activating pin(40) from an inactive position (FIG. 5A) to an activating position (FIG.5B).

The activating pin in the housing (302) can be constructed as a piston(304) equipped with a suitable securing means and a piston rod (318),which can slide in the cylinder (303) shaped housing (302), and which,without any physical load, is held in a sealing longitudinal positionagainst the cylinder wall, so that the sliding of the piston after theconnection of the valve connector (301) occurs by means of thecompressed air which is transported from the pressure source, and sothat the piston (304) in the position farthest from the wheel valveseals less than 100% against the cylinder wall.

The piston (304) can be constructed as a central, axially sliding valve(317), which is elastically pressed to a closing position towards thetop of the piston (304).

The piston valve can be levered with a valve lever which eccentricallyreaches through the piston (304) and its piston rod (312), and that aspring between the piston (304) and its valve (317) keeps the valveclosed, when the piston (304) does not influence the central core pin(301) of the core.

The piston (304) valve (317) can be levered by a core pin (318) whichconcentrically reaches axially through the piston (304), where it by aspring (316′) is transported to a position distant from the piston(304).

The securing means and the sealing means can consist of a bushing placedin the housing (110) and made of a deformable material, preferably arubber type material, and that proximally to the valve and the bushing,a piston (76) with two extremes in order to obtain an axial compressionand release of the bushing has been placed together with a lever (102)for activation of the piston (76), where the lever (102) axis (85) isextended perpendicularly to the centre line (4) through this, and thatthe lever (102) for piston activation is shifted from a position (82)forming an angle (T) with the centre line (4) to a position (83)approximately perpendicular to the centre line, where a locking meansworks together with a corresponding locking means on the lever (102).

In continuation of and coaxially to the centre line (4) of the housing(134), an activating pin (142) can be arranged which through axialshifting from a position farthest from the valve (FIG. 12A) is fed toactivate a central valve pin head in the plug (FIG. 12B), and that thelever (102) is U-shaped and the free ends of the U-legs are embeddingthe axis (85) of the lever (102).

A control knob (140) connected to the activating pin (142) can be usedto control the activating pin, and that the control knob (140) isrotatably attached to the piston (138) concentrically with theactivating pin (142) and is centrally incorporating this and is havingfeeding mechanisms which work together with corresponding feedingmechanisms on the activating pin (142) which is shiftably attached tothe piston to axially shift the activating pin from an inactive position(FIG. 12A) to an activating position (FIG. 12B) and that the lever (102)is U-shaped and the free ends of the U-legs are embedding the axis (85)of the lever (102).

The control knob (140) can rotatably be attached to the piston (138)concentrically with the activating pin (142) and is centrallyincorporating this and is having a cylinder (48), which with suitableguiding means reaches in between the piston (138) and the activating pin(142) which is moveably attached to the control knob (140) and which canbe moved in the cylinder (48) and reaches out with protrusions (51, 52)through slits (49, 50) in the cylinder (48) and in corresponding feedingmeans (67) in the piston (138) to axially shift the activating pin (142)from an inactive position (18) to an activating position (32).

1. A valve connector for connecting to inflation valves of vehicletires, comprising: a housing configured to be connected to a pressuresource; within the housing, a valve coupling hole for coupling with theinflation valve to which the valve connector is to be connected, thecoupling hole having a central axis and an outer opening; within thecoupling hole, an inflation valve seal situated coaxially with thecentral axis of the coupling hole for sealing the valve connector ontoinflation valves of various types or sizes wherein said valve couplinghole comprises at least two valve coupling hole sections which areaxially displaced from each other and have different diameters and aredesigned for receiving inflation valves of different diameters, with thelarger diameter hole section closer to the outer opening of the couplinghole than the smaller diameter hole section, and said inflation valveseal comprises a first valve sealing portion and a second valve sealingportion which are located at different levels along the central axis,said first sealing portion disposed at and assigned to the largerdiameter hole section and said second sealing portion disposed at andassigned to the smaller diameter hole section.
 2. Valve connectoraccording to claim 1, wherein said first sealing portion and said secondsealing portion are separate parts.
 3. Valve connector according toclaim 1, wherein each of the sealing portions comprises an annularsealing face at the inner end of the respective coupling hole section.4. Valve connector according to claim 1, wherein that it compriseswithin the coupling hole a securing thread for securing the valveconnector onto the inflation valve.
 5. Valve connector according toclaim 4, further comprising a coupling bushing, which is attached on thehousing rotatably around the central axis and sealed to the housing bysaid second sealing portion, wherein said coupling bushing comprisessaid securing thread and said first sealing portion, and the housingcomprises a stopping edge for stopping the coupling movement of theinflation valve.
 6. Valve connector according to claim 5, wherein saidcoupling bushing is an outer bushing and comprises an inner bushing,which is non-rotatably coupled to said outer bushing by a set of ribs ofsaid inner bushing and corresponding grooves in said outer bushingdistributed around the bushing circumference, and axially movable withinsaid outer bushing and the housing, wherein said second sealing portionis step-formed, embedded in a corresponding milling, so that that partof the step-formed second sealing portion with the highest step liesclosest to the centerline.
 7. Valve connector according to claim 6,wherein said second sealing portion comprises a first part and a secondpart, of which said second part is fitting in an undercut groove of thehousing and is arranged to seal said inner bushing to said housing.
 8. Avalve connector for connecting to inflation valves of vehicle tires,comprising: a housing configured to be connected to a pressure source;within the housing one valve coupling hole for coupling with theinflation valve to which the valve connector is to be connected, thecoupling hole having a central axis and an outer opening and within thecoupling hole inflation valve seal situated coaxially with the centralaxis of the coupling hole for sealing the valve connector onto inflationvalves of various types and/or sizes wherein said valve coupling holecomprises at least two valve coupling hole sections which are axiallydisplaced from each other and have different diameters and are designedfor receiving inflation valves of different diameters, with the largerdiameter hole section closer to the outer opening of the coupling holethan the smaller diameter hole section, and said inflation valve sealcomprises a first valve sealing portion and a second valve sealingportion which are located at different levels along the central axis,said first sealing portion disposed at and assigned to the largerdiameter hole section and said second sealing portion disposed at andassigned to the smaller diameter hole section wherein said first sealingportion and said second sealing portion are formed by an elastic bodywhich is designed as a bushing of deformable material to create atemporary securing thread when radially squeezed against the thread ofan inflation valve, and that a piston is movably mounted in the housingfor axially compressing the elastic body when activated by a lever whichis turnable from a rest position into an activating position, in whichthe elastic body is compressed wherein the deformable bushing comprisesat least one V-shaped incision around its outer surface close to thefirst and second sealing portions.
 9. Valve connector according to claim8, wherein a longitudinal section of the deformable bushing in thedirection of its longitudinal axis is H-shaped.
 10. Valve connectoraccording to claim 8, wherein a toroidal ring is arranged in theincision.
 11. Valve connector according to claim 8, further comprisinglocking means of the lever cooperating with locking means of the housingin the activating position of the lever.
 12. Valve connector accordingto claim 8, wherein the housing comprises two portions with apredetermined angle between their respective centre axes, which angle isbetween 30 and 60 degrees.
 13. Valve connector according to claim 11,wherein said lever arm is arranged to return, when released from itsactivating position, automatically by the elastic body to said restposition, wherein said lever is arranged to turn around an axis with acenter which lies on the central axis of the coupling hole, the distancebetween said center and a surface of said lever arm which engages thetop of a piston in said activating position is larger than the distancebetween said center and a surface of said lever arm which engages thetop of said piston in said rest position.